


Verona

by exhaustedwerewolf



Series: 30 Day Post Challenge [6]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Blood Quill, Canon Divergence, I am tired forgive me, I've tagged this with drarry but it could be read as platonic, M/M, Order of the Phoenix - Freeform, Umbridge sucks, basically Draco finds out about the blood quill, but it will be Drarry if it continues, notice the capital D
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-06
Updated: 2016-11-06
Packaged: 2018-08-29 12:30:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8489728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exhaustedwerewolf/pseuds/exhaustedwerewolf
Summary: Fifth year. Harry is tired, stressed, and vulnerable, and the last thing he needs is Draco Malfoy sticking his nose in his business.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Title comes from the Geographer song, "Verona."

Harry hurried down the corridor, feeling thoroughly harassed, and wondering bitterly when school had become so exhausting. His quick footsteps echoed on the stone, and he clutched several assignments to his chest, most of them late; apparently, excessive detentions weren't something that warranted extensions. He was debating risking one of the more temperamental shortcuts when he rounded a corner and right on cue, Draco sodding Malfoy was there, leaning against a tapestry like it was him that was the work of art. Harry faltered, slowed, but he couldn't turn around- how would that look? So he hardened his resolve, and kept walking. When Draco caught sight of him, he pushed himself up off the wall and approached, stopping in the middle of the hall to block his path.

"Harry," both boys grimaced, "I mean, Potter," Draco began, uncharacteristically hesitant, as Harry came to a reluctant halt. "I wanted to speak to you." Harry looked determinedly past him, avoiding eye contact as best he could.

"Just- Whatever it is- not now, Malfoy. Okay?" He replied, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand awkwardly, and he moved to push past the Slytherin. Malfoy stepped sideways to intercept him. 

"No, Potter, I don't care where you have to be. Just give me five minutes of your oh-so precious time, will you?" 

"Seriously Malfoy," Irritation had crept into Harry's voice, and he sidestepped again in an effort to break free. Draco mirrored him. "I'm going to be even later-" Breaking off and shaking his head, Harry dodged past. 

"Potter, for Merlin's sake-" Draco reached out and caught him by the wrist, sending Harry's scrolls tumbling to the floor.

"Look what you've done now, you prat!" He exclaimed, but Draco wasn't even looking at him, he was staring down at their hands, brow furrowed in confusion.

"What's that?" 

"What's what-" Harry followed his gaze and his stomach plummeted. In the tousle his long sleeves had been pulled back, and the cuts on the back of his hand had been revealed. He wrenched his arm back at once, yanking at his robes to conceal them again, whirling on Draco.

"It's nothing is what it is! Why don't you mind your own business for once?"

Draco blinked back at him with skeptical eyes. Harry suddenly realised how close the pair of them were, and stepped back abruptly.

"That's a bit rich, coming from you." Draco quipped, a little too late.

"Oh, spare it." Harry rubbed his temples with his fingertips.

"I'm not an idiot, Potter. Those are words; it wasn't an accident. What does it say?"

Harry made a dismissive noise, and knelt reluctantly to start gathering parchment.

"What," Draco said when he didn't reply. "You did it to yourself?"

"I wouldn't do anything like that!" Harry shot back. 

"Of course not." Draco said smoothly. Waiting. Harry waited too. For a total of three seconds. 

"It was Umbridge, okay?" He snapped, inadvertently crushing a scroll in his fist. "Mention it to anyone and-"

"She did that? How?" Draco seemed genuinely shocked, and was now staring down at Harry quite openly. 

"It's not a big deal, it was just a blood quill-"

"Those are illegal-" Draco began.

"I'm aware." Harry interrupted. Draco fell silent again. Harry swept together his last few scrolls and stood again.

"Are we done here?" He said bluntly. When there was no response, he sighed sharply, and spun to leave. 

"Why don't you tell someone?" Draco asked quietly, like he couldn't quite believe he was asking at all.

Harry paused. Without turning, he managed; "Why do you assume I won't? Maybe I'm on my way to tell someone right now. What, you think you'd be my first choice?" Draco didn't take the bait,

"Those are fresh, and they look like they've been gone over at least a couple of times. Haven't you written home?"  
Harry couldn't stop himself- he laughed aloud at the mere prospect.

"What?" Draco said impatiently, coming around to stand in front of Harry again.

"You don't know my relatives. The Dursleys would probably write Umbridge a letter of thanks and ask her to double my detentions."

"What? What makes you say that?" Harry rolled his eyes. 

"It's nothing."

"If my parents were to find out Umbridge was using a blood quill on me, there'd be hell to pay." 

"Not all of us have parents, Malfoy, as I'm sure you've heard." Harry said acidly, and pointed sharply to his more famous scar. "It's kind of my whole thing, remember?"

"But you live with your relatives." Draco said it like a question.

"And I've told you how they would feel about it."

"Is that why you didn't tell anyone? Not even Granger, or-"

"Bloody hell, Malfoy, leave off, will you?!" Harry exploded, eyes flashing angrily. 

"Okay, okay." Draco held up his hands, scowling. "Gryffindors, honestly."

"And not a word to anyone else." Harry repeated, fighting to keep his voice level.

"Fine."

Now that Draco had agreed to keep his mouth shut, Harry was quite suddenly free to leave. He held his glare for a few seconds longer before spinning on his heel, and marching off down the corridor, careful to keep his head held high. 

"Hey, Potter!" This time, he didn't bother to turn around. "What does it say?"

"Sod off, Malfoy." Harry called over his shoulder, heading down the staircase that met the end of the hall.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this, and would like to see I continued, I would deeply appreciate a comment letting me know! Thank you for reading.


End file.
